What Are You Thankful For?

Sometimes we all get hung up on the glorified traditions and images we see in the media regarding how Thanksgiving should be. Do you struggle with that? Have you lost sight of the most important part of this holiday? Thanksgiving is for giving thanks, for being grateful for what we’ve been given.

Not everyone will be surrounded by their loved ones, and not everyone will be sitting down to an overflowing table of great food this year. That can happen for a variety of reasons. We have the choice of focusing on what we don’t have and feeling sad, or we can focus on being grateful for what we do have. It’s our choice.

What are you thankful for? Are you warm and dry? Do you have shelter from the weather? Do you have a place to lie down in safety tonight? Can you get up and walk across the room? Can you open your eyes and see the beauty outside? When you breathe in and out, do your lungs fill with oxygen? Does your heart beat? Do you have something you can eat today? Do you live free from the fear of war in your corner of the world? Can you hear a bird’s song? Can you smell the aroma of a fresh cup of coffee? Can you walk out your front door without being in danger? I could go on and on, but I think you get what I’m talking about. If you have these things, or even part of them, you have much to be grateful for.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t still things we would like to have. It just means that we are happier when we count our blessings — even the very small ones. Give yourself the freedom to create your own Thanksgiving celebration — no matter what that looks like. Just don’t forget to take some time and be grateful for the beauty of each moment! Longing for what you don’t have can only bring sadness.

Thanksgiving is just one day in the year. Learn how to cultivate an attitude of awareness and appreciation each day, and you will create a life filled with great richness!

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Linda Menesez, MSW, LCSW

Linda Menesez, MSW, LCSW has been a psychotherapist since 1996. Her deep empathy for what her clients are going through comes from personal experience. One of her joys is helping people find their way to a healthier, happier life, where they break through their limitations and see their uniqueness and potential.